Mr. Leister added that the fifth grade of the 2012-2013 had “excellent student leadership.” He also recalled that students were introduced to an ongoing theme teaching them the importance of kindness and respect, which was a success. Students wrote about, and talked about, kindness and respect throughout the year.

“They set the tone for the school, and it was a really strong year” he stated.

Of the incoming fifth graders, Principal Leister said, “Like this class, they need to focus on trying, respect, and working hard.”

Mr. Leister also had advice for parents. “Parents are the most important teachers” he remarked, before adding that, “Parents and teachers need to partner on behalf of kids, and need to partner whether there are academic issues, emotional issues, family issues, we need to work together and communicate on behalf of kids.”

Fifth graders at the Collins Elementary School reflected on the past year, while looking to the future. They also had advice for fourth graders who will move onto fifth grade in the fall.

“My favorite part about fifth grade was being older, more mature, and we had to lead the younger kids,” remarked Karen.

Amanda said of fifth grade that, “It’s not very easy, but it’s not as hard as it seems.”

Jessica remarked that her favorite part of being in fifth grade was “getting to switch classes.”

Nicole stated that in middle school, her hope is, “for the teachers to like me, to be successful with good grades.”

Karen had advice for those who will replace her in fifth grade next year. “You should really open up to new friends, because you probably won’t go out of fifth grade with the people you went into it,” she stated.

Daria also had advice for fourth graders who will be entering fifth grade in the fall. “You should just be who you are,” she said.

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Winter storms, bad weather and sloppy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every winter, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. In fact, AAA states that about 46 percent of all crashes involving bad weather take place in the winter.

AAA analyzed bad weather and crashes over a five-year period. The study ...

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ – A state of emergency has been placed in effect for Saturday by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. and Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura have requested that residents do not park on county roads from Saturday through Sunday this weekend. Keeping the roads open will make it easier to remove snow and enable public works crews to ...

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ – A state of emergency has been placed in effect for Saturday by New Jersey Gov.

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The story of a Livingston native’s “journey through Poland's countryside as a war of nations thunders around them” was the heart of the discussion at the Livingston Education Foundation’s (LEF) second annual Community Book Club held at Livingston High School (LHS) on Monday night.

LIVINGSTON, NJ -- Last spring, Dr. Alvaro Alban and Chelsea Alban opened CardioYoga studio in Livingston (cardioyogastudio.com) after they were unable to find a fitness regime that would keep them in shape but also prevent many of the injuries they both saw in their practices.

Dr. Alban, an emergency physician, has had more than 15 years experience in emergency medicine treating patients ...

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County’s Code Blue procedures are being activated through Tuesday, Jan. 22, due to extreme cold weather and cold in the forecast, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Jr. and Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura announced on Thursday.

When a Code Blue is declared, a network of warming stations operated by the county and its municipalities as well as shelters ...

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Per tradition, the Township of Livingston has lowered its flags to half-staff in honor of former Livingston Mayor G. Robert “Bob” Leopold upon his passing on Jan. 12.

Current Mayor Al Anthony, who served on the Livingston Planning Board with Leopold for nine years, led the township in a moment of silence for Leopold during Monday’s council meeting. He noted that Leopold always ...

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Per tradition, the Township of Livingston has lowered its flags to half-staff in ...

WEST ORANGE — Bragging rights for high school boys basketball in West Orange were on the line Tuesday, and there couldn’t have been a more exciting way for two of the town’s teams to settle it.

West Orange High and Seton Hall Prep battled until the absolute last second, but in the end, it is the parochial denizens from Northfield Avenue that will claim supremacy for now. The Pirates — who ...

WEST ORANGE — Bragging rights for high school boys basketball in West Orange were on the line ...